Television studio construction



Filed Dec. 13, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l zNVENToR.

LA NRE/VCE LEVE y wwv au @x/ @Wag/vm M613' 27, y1947. L, LEVEY TELEvIsIoN STUDIO CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 1S, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R M w ML 04 V m n N E l. Q l W w v M l. /h Y B May 279 395:27?. L, L Evg-:Y 2,421,274

TELEV S ION STUDIO CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 13, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet f5 FAZ-El En IWW'I j I. $1 LIM/@ENCE LEI/EY INVENTOR.

Maly 273 gw; L, LVEY n TELEVISION STUDIO CONSTRUCTION 4 sheets-sheet 4- Filed Dec. l5 1944 INVENTOR.

LAWRENCE Lei/EV l/ l "1' 'J Patented May 27, 1947 UNITEDV STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEVISION STUDIO CONSTRUCTION Lawrence Levey, New York, N. Y.

Application December 13, 1944, Serial No. 568,039.

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a television studio but morev specically to the construction of a studio and apparatus pertaining thereto adapted to. facilitate the programming and televising of all types of presentations including commerciali spot announcements by maintaining drammatic and pictorial continuity and easing camera movement, framing andv focusing.`

The mainv object of the invention resides in the provision of a studior construction and related apparatus to facilitate the televising of productions by rendering movement. of television cameras tov positions for all types of shots with the least difficulty. This object is important be-I cause the average television camera shot lasts from twenty-thirty seconds. For dramatic reasons, many shots are merely flashes on the screen lasting from five to ten seconds. To produce all shots with stop-watch precision, the camera must constantly be moving',v framing andy focusing. The utilizationk of cranes for a battery of cameras on the set would cause collision, noise. and confusion. It has been estimated that in a tele vision presentation lasting one-half hour .no shot should remain on the receiving screen longer than twenty seconds because of the smallv size thereof, tendency of the eye to shift after prolonged staring at any object and surrounding psychological factors. It becomes therefore necessary to shoot fro'mone hundred twenty to one hundred eighty different shots on the receiving screen, the said number of shots maintaining dramatic and pictorial continuity. For this number of shots it becomes obvious that the battery of television cameras,A usually three in the aggregate, move toward and away from the setting for framing and focusing about one hundred twenty to one hundred eighty times during a one-half hour show. For this. reason facility of camera movement is of great importance in televisingl productions.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of structure for producing montage effects without sacrificing easy movement of the television cameras adjacent thereto.

A further object of the inventionv resides in the provision of a studio having vertically adjacent master studio floors wherein movable means and other expedients are.- provided on and between. the studioA floorsl to facilitate camera transition, the taking of intermediate and angular camera shots and to provide mobile cornmon and continuous props on and between the floors to facilitate programming.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specication are drawings showing preferred forms of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective partly in section showing a television studio having adjacent master studio floors and means thereon and between for facilitating the televising of productions. l

Figure 2y is a longitudinal sectional View of the studio showing features of the studio.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the studio depicting certain elements shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in sece tion showing the movable mounting means and a floor carriage for a panel.

Figure 5 is a sectional View of Figure 4 along the plane 5--5 thereof.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View in elevation showing the chain drive and the mounting sockets for the panel elements of the studio.

Figure 7' is a fragmentary View partly in section showing the driving means for fan panels.

The television studo forming the subject matter of the invention herein is preferably comprised of master studio floors vertically arranged. Thus, the studio as shown has side walls I0 and I I, front and rear wallsy I2l andL I3 and vertically adjacent master studio floors I4: and I5.

Each of the oors is provided with mechani cally movableI mounting means for panels and props whereby they may be shifted and positioned in any predetermined perpendicular, diagonal and aligned relationships. As shown, the means. for mechanical movement are in the form of chain drives moving below the level of and in grooves below the floors I4 and/or I5.

The grooves above mentioned are disposedl in any predetermined areas and follow any desired geometric patterns on the oors I4 and I5. Thus, there are grooves I-I, I1, I8 and I9 and in each one is providedA a chainy 20 engaging a sprocket 2l at one end and driven by means such as a motor 22, the chain 20 engaging at the opposite end an idler sprocket 23. A plurality of spaced socket 24 may be carried by the chain 2B, the sockets being adapted to engage one or more pegs 25 depending from the lower end of each of the panels or props 2E. If a single peg is used for the panels or props, the latter may be rotated so that either face may be shown.

In order to movably support the panels or props 2S, a pair of oor carriage units each generally designated by niuneral 21 is adapted to support each panel or prop at both side edges, each carriage preferably comprising a pair of rollers 2id spaced beyond each of the iloor grooves I5, i?, I8 or I9 and separated on an axle 28. The axle 28 on each side carries a pair of upwardly eX tending diagonal and converging arms 29 terminating in opposing offset ends 35 engaging sockets SI on both sides of each of the panels or props. Axle 23 also carries a pair of horizontally disposed and converging arms 32 terminating in opposite odset ends 33 engaging sockets 34 on both sides of each of the panels or props. Between each of the diagonal arms 29 and horizontal arms 32 may be a reinforcing cross piece 35.

The grooves or tracks for the mechanical movements of the panels or props 26 are narrow and permit traversing thereof by the dollies of the television cameras so that shots may be taken at various distances in front of, to the side and at the rear of the panels or props. Said cameras and dollies are not shown in the drawings,

An arrangement for opposite movement of substantially aligned and adjacent panels for introducing and wiping out scenes may be accomplished by the use of parallel and spaced grooves wherein the chains move in opposite directions, and as indicated diagrammatically by the use of parallel grooves in Figure l. As shown in Figure 7 a fan-shaped opening and closing means is effected by a pair of panels 3S and 31 each of which is mounted Within a common groove 38.

Panel o? has a mounting peg 39 which is secured to a hub 49 attached to a pulley wheel 4I. Because the center' of gravity of panel 3.' is outu side of hub 4Q, panel 3l normally would be in the position shown by dotted lines in -Figure T. In order to maintain panel 3l in upright pesition a cable l2 is passed around pulley 4I and proceeds around an idler 43, the end of the cable d2 proceeding from idler 43 being attached to a similar second pulley for bringing panel 3S into vertical position, Panel 35 is provided with a similar' peg i mounted in a hub of the second pulley, the latter hub and pulley not being shown in the drawings.

In Figure l is shown a panel d'5 in the form of a transparent or translucent star area :i forming the front wall of a compartment d? wherein aquatic and pyro-technic effects may be incorporated. Openings 48 and 49 may be cut out of adjacent panels 26 to form a round opening 59 therebetween to effectuate any desirable montage eiect.

A plurality of suitably arranged and spaced lifts 5I supported on shafts 52 and preferably hydraulically controlled within master cylinders serve as supports for a battery of television cameras, the latter not being shown in the drawings. 'Ihese lifts penetrate openings 54 in the floor I5 of one of the master studios and enable the cameras to take elevated and depressed horizontal and angular shots between the studio lil) floors I4 and I5. Openings 54 may have provided seats 54a for automatically operated safety covers, the latter not being shown in the drawings. In addition, there may be one or more apertures 55 in floor I5 whereby an elevated shot may be taken of action on studio floor I4 or a depressed shot may be taken from studio I 4 of action taking place on studio floor I5. Aperture 55 also may be provided with a conventional sliding closure such as 56.

A prop such as a stairway 5l is provided between :doors I4 and I5 and is preferably swivellably and hingeably supported on iioor I5 whereby continuous action between the doors may be televised. Stairway 51 has conventional means of withdrawal to door I5 as by hinges 58 and may be swivelled about a swivelling element 59. When stairway 5T is in lowered and operative position as shown in Figure 2 a portion of the floor opening 57a may be provided with a conventional safety cover (not shown).

From the foregoing it will be seen that a studio for productions adapted to be televised is provided wherein panels and props are movable along the floor in predetermined directions to effectuate montage effects in relation to action on the studio floors; wherein elevating means operating between and above and below vertically adjacent master studio rooms support television cameras for elevated and depressed angular and horizontal shots in said rooms thereby eliminating the use of cranes; and wherein means are provided between the main studio floors to televise continuous action from one studio to the other. Moreover, the studio described is adapted to co-relate continuous action or dependent action between the vertically adjacent studio rooms.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the construction, location, material and function of the parts may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A studio for productions adapted to be televised comprising a plurality of independent and stationary studio rooms vertically arranged, each of the rooms having a floor provided with areas of spaced and geometrically arranged grooves, members detachably secured in and movable along said grooves in directions to eifectuate montage effects, elevating means operating between and above and below vertically adjacent studio rooms to support television cameras for elevated and depressed angular and horizontal shots for continuous action in said rooms, and a prop member joining said rooms whereby the cameras are enabled to televise continuous action from one studio room to the other.

2. In a studio for productions adapted to be televised including a plurality of independent and stationary studio rooms vertically arranged, the upper of the rooms having a floor aperture for elevated and depressed angular' camera shots with respect to the lower and upper rooms respectively, elevating means opera-ting between and above and below the rooms to support television cameras for elevated and depressed angular' and horizontal shots for continuous action in said rooms, and a prop member joining said rooms whereby the cameras are enabled to televise continuous action from one room to the other.

3. In a studio for productions adapted to be televised including a plurality of independent and stationary studio rooms vertically arranged, elevating means operating between and above and below vertically adjacent studio rooms to support television cameras for elevated and depressed angular and horizontal shots in said rooms, and an adjustably secured prop member capable of joining said rooms whereby the cameras are enabled to televise continuous action from one room to the other.

LAWRENCE LEVEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gilford Sept. 8, 1885 Demmon April 16, 1895 Mackaye Dec. 2, 1879 Kasold July 21, 1942` Smith July 27, 1915 Leabhart Nov. 26, 1889 FOREIGN PATENTS Country y Date Germany Jan. 12, 1922 France June 7, 1927 

